Death's Trade
by JYu.Lee
Summary: They all fell. All.


**my first csi miami fanfic! haha its a oneshot :P **

Horatio Caine wasn't afraid of death. Never was. He couldn't find reason to. When the time came, people went, and from another part on Earth, a new life was brought in. That was what death meant to Horatio. A trade between very different worlds. A life for life. Of course, he had his reasons not to fear death but his colleagues found it hard no to be scared out of their wits when the word 'death' was mentioned. A lot of them would back out of the conversation.

People in the lab would constantly joke about Death itself being afraid of Horatio and not the other way around. Their claim was backed up with numerous files. Files in which explained the case and how Horatio was injured. Half of the files under the name 'Horatio' mentioned him getting in serious trouble. But he survived. He survived every single one of them. Not all left scars, but most did. To the others, it was as if Death was pushing him back onto the Earth, digging him a pit of misery.

Of course, while walking on this Earth he experienced and encountered many, many things. Not all of which he would like to keep in mind, but all that happened for a reason. All of that had a purpose. That was how he got up in the morning, when he woke up to another beautiful sunshine in Miami, he would remind himself all things had a purpose. Even if that purpose was a torturous pain which tore his heart in pieces, he could pull through.

But this. All but this. Not his team, his family.

When Walter fell, Horatio was angry. When Ryan fell, he was furious. When Eric, Calliegh, and Natalia fell, he was blinded with rage. Then Tripp, his life-long friend, fell to the floor with a bullet, the same ones which pierced through the other five, and Horatio was torn. His team, family, was gone. Just like that. All because of a gang who had issues with Horatio. This was his fault. His own damn fault. And at that moment, all he believed in what happens when Death comes was thrown from his mind, He forgot about trading life for life, he forgot a new life being born. The only thing on his mind was how the Heavens could be this cruel. The five members of his family were ripped from his grasp in ten seconds. The sam bullets hit each and everyone of them and they fell over like they had been hit with boulders.

He stood there for some times, mouth agape, stunned beyond belief. His hands gripped the cool metal of the gun. Finally, his jaws clenched into a line of fury as he glared out into the sunset. The sunglasses that Eric had gotten him before he was a CSI was on the ground, next to his feet, shattered in hundreds of pieces. He stared down and picked them up. A piece of glass cut into his skin but he didn't care. Only the frame remained of the sunglasses and a tear threanted to fall from his eyes. No. He wouldn't show weakness. He would be brave for his team, even if he felt like shooting himself multiples of times.

Horatio sniffed and raised himself back up. He sighed and gripped onto the empty frames as if it were his life line. Moving his eyes slowly, he saw the bodies of his colleagues spread out on the concrete. He distantly remembered going to each one of them, trying all he could to save them. But it wasn't enough.

"I'm sorry," he whispered in torment. "I'm sorry for not being able to save you." Horatio dropped his head. "But I swear I'll catch the maniac who did this."

"How touching."

Horatio spun around and involuntarily raised his gun in front. Standing in front of him was Ernesto Garcia, leader of the third most dangerous gang in Miami. In other words, the man who was responsible for messing up his life in less than half a minute. He kept the gun raised so that Garcia was staring down the barrel of the gun.

"Now, now, now. You can't kill me, Caine." he said in a calm, almost amused tone.

"Sure I can," Horatio tossed back. His eyes filled with torment and his stance tensed.

"I don't even have a weapan." Garcia grinned as he raised both his hands. Sure enough, they were empty.

Horatio didn't comment. His finger decreased pressure on the trigger but he didn't take it odd. No way. For some reason, his hands slowly went down but when Garcia took a step forward, his hands shot back up in a split second. "I'll put a bullet through your heart. If its the last thing I do," he seethed through clenched teeth.

Garcia laughed. "I'd like to see you try."

Horatio glared at the laughing man with all the hatred he had left. The pressure increase on the trigger. One move and the bullet would leave its chamber.

_Bang._

Time seemed to freeze. Horatio stared at Garcia but he wasn't going down. He was smiling. Then he felt it. The hot, seering pain rocketing through his system. His back felt like it was on fire. One word flew into his mind. Sniper. He should have known there was a damn sniper! Horatio felt his knees give away and soon, he was kneeling in front of Garcia. He blinked rapidly and fought to stay upright. Everything was getting dizzy, he knew he was losing too much blood already. Horatio almost panicked when black dots clouded his vision. But he stayed calm. He breathed in deep and looked at Garcia with sad eyes.

"Thanks," said Horatio.

Garcia's smile faded. He was confused. This wasn't what he imagined Horatio telling him. "What?" He thought he was hearing things. But when Garcia looked at Horatio, he was giving up a small smile.

"Thanks, for putting me out of my misery."

Another shot rang out. And this time, Garcia's eyes nearly bulged out of their sockets. He stared down at his chest to see blood leaking through. "How..." His unbelievable eyes looked up to see Horatio's gun aimed at him. From the barrel, smoke oozed out. Without another word, Garcia fell flat on his back.

Horatio watched in satisfaction. However, his time was coming too. Unable to carry his weight, Horatio dropped to his stomach. His vision got darker and darker. He got tried and tried. He couldn't fight anymore, he was done. Then, blackness surrounded him.

And that day, the world lost Horatio Caine, but gained another life...somewhere in the world.

**review? :)**


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